Another game of follow the leader

Rockies fall to Twins; losing skid reaches six

By Tracy Ringolsby, Rocky Mountain News

Originally published 09:39 p.m., May 16, 2008
Updated 08:26 a.m., May 17, 2008

Chris Schneider / The Rocky

Rockies shortstop Clint Barmes shatters his bat during the eighth inning Friday night at Coors Field. Barmes went 3-for-4, drove in a run and scored in the Rockies' 4-2 loss to the Minnesota Twins in the team's first interleague game this season.

OK, the Rockies have to be patient and slowly rebuild a season gone awry.

"There is no quick fix," manager Clint Hurdle said. "There is no shortcut to get out of this. It has taken time to get where we are and will take time to get back to where we want to be."

But how about a tease along the way? Maybe a lead, even it's just for an inning or two.

Maybe tonight.

It has been a week since the Rockies not only won a game but even had a lead on the opposition.

Oh, they did manage to rally for a tie briefly Friday night before losing 4-2 to the Minnesota Twins at Coors Field. Their 2008 interleague debut attracted a vocal chunk of Twins fans among the 35,336 who bought tickets.

So much for the idea that the Rockies might get a lift seeing some new faces from the other league after playing 24 of their first 41 games against the four other National League West teams and seven others against St. Louis.

The Twins, after all, are one of the more underappreciated teams around. They came to Coors Field with an intent of their own, wanting to break a three-game losing streak and avoid falling below .500. With solid work from starting pitcher Nick Blackburn, and Delmon Young suddenly realizing he can drive the ball again, the Twins succeeded where the Rockies failed.

Overshadowed by the Rockies having their losing streak extended to a season-worst six games and their record fall 12 games below .500 (15-27) for the first time since 2006, was another step in the maturation of Ubaldo Jimenez into a solid major league starter with the potential of being more.

Jimenez worked seven innings for the first time in nine starts this season, the fourth time he has done it in his career. He avoided that nightmarish mid game inning where the game has been getting away from him. He gave up single runs in the third, fourth and sixth innings, six singles and a pair of doubles by Young and walked only one. He threw 94 pitches, 67 for strikes.

"That's the kind of start any starter would want, get the game through seven innings, giving the team a chance," said Jimenez, who gave up three runs in 62/3 innings of a 3-2 loss at San Diego a week ago. "After the last outing, I felt pretty good. I felt I did better not trying to do too much, to relax and be aggressive."

The Rockies, though, were unable to find enough offense to get him a no-decision, much less end his winless streak that now extends to seven starts, dating to a win against Atlanta on April 8.

"All he can do is pitch," Hurdle said. "It's up to the rest (of the team) to create some offense. He's taking a very positive step his last three times, realizing what he can control and keeping us in a game."

The Rockies did come up with two runs in the fourth when Clint Barmes tripled after Willy

Taveras' infield single to start the inning. Barmes then scored on a Ryan Spilborghs groundout. That only tied the score at 2-2, though, and so the Rockies have played 54 consecutive innings without a lead. That dates to their 4-2 victory May 9 at San Diego, their last win.

Their opportunities were limited, but they were hitless in five at-bats with runners in scoring position, dropping their NL- worst average with runners on second and/or third to .228.

The biggest opportunity came in the sixth, when Barmes led off with a double. He held at second in deference to the strong arm of right fielder Mike Cuddyer on Spilborghs' flyball to right, but he tagged up and went to third when Todd Helton flied to center.

Barmes was left on third when Garrett Atkins struck out.

But the Rockies can find some sort of a silver lining in the evolution of Jimenez, a key part of their long-range pitching plans, along with rookie Greg Reynolds, who makes his second major league start tonight.

"The next guy has to pick up the ball and continue to give us a chance to win," Hurdle said. "We're showing improvement (with the starting pitching)."

It's just not showing up in the standings.

The key . . .

* Moment: Deposed closer Manny Corpas came on with a 3-2 deficit in the eight inning and was victimized in part by Garrett Atkins bobbling a Del- mon Young groundball for an error. Corpas gave up an insurance run when he followed up the Atkins error by walking Mike Lamb to load the bases and giving up Adam Everett's second sacrifice fly of the game.

* Player: Twins left fielder Young has played every game this season but only has six extra-base hits. Two of them were doubles Friday, and both times he scored, on a single by Lamb with one out in the fourth and an Everett sacrifice fly in the sixth. Young had 38 doubles and 13 home runs while driving in 98 runs for Tampa Bay last year. He only has 12 RBI this year.

* Stat: 54 consecutive innings without a lead for the Rockies, dating to their last win, 4-2 on May 9 at San Diego.

Etc.

Right-handed pitcher Jason Hirsh (strained right rotator cuff) and Luis Vizcaino (sore shoulder) worked in a simulated game in spring training Friday in Tucson, moving closer to beginning minor league rehabilitation assignments.

Hirsh threw 45 pitches in three innings and Vizcaino threw 25 pitches in two innings. They each will have one more simulated effort before pitching in extended spring games. . . . Left-handed pitcher Glendon Rusch, released by San Diego, agreed to a minor league contract with the Rockies. He will start for Triple-A Colorado Springs to get innings, but the Rockies look at him as a possible middle reliever. . . . Right-hander Chaz Roe, who underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee at the start of spring training, made his final extended spring appearance and is scheduled to report to High Single-A Modesto for two starts before moving to Double-A Tulsa. . . . Third baseman Ian Stewart hit home runs 10 and 11 on Thursday and has 38 RBI for Colorado Springs. . . . Twins infielder Matt Tolbert, who jammed a thumb while diving to the base on the final play of Minnesota's game against Toronto on Thursday, will be placed on the disabled list.

FIRST PITCH

Holliday scratched

Outfielder Matt Holliday was given a planned day off - it was his first this the season - Sunday in San Diego.

Friday at Coors Field, Holliday was a late scratch, the victim of lower back spasms. Trainer Keith Dugger said it isn't considered serious; there was the possibility Holliday could have pinch hit.

"It's bothered him for a couple days and we had the flight home (from Arizona)," Dugger said.

Tulo talk

Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki (torn tendon, left quadriceps) is "improving every day" and has begun light jogging and playing catch, Dugger said. He is doing upper-body strength work and exercises for his legs. He also has hit off a tee.

"We won't have any type of timetable until he gets into baseball activities," Dugger said.

Last time

The only previous time the Twins came to Coors Field was for the final exhibition series in spring 1996.

It was after completing play in Florida the day before, and hitting a home run, that Kirby Puckett woke up the morning of March 28, 1996, and the eye problems that eventually forced his retirement surfaced. Puckett didn't play in Colorado, and he retired in July of that season after failing to appear in a regular-season game in '96.

He said it

"His biggest challenge is second base because of the lack of experience."

Clint Hurdle, Rockies manager, on Jeff Baker, who started at second base Friday after starting at third base Thursday and at first base Tuesday.

• May 17, 2008

  8:13 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  maddogvasion writes:

  Twins Win Twins Win Twins Win

  Not usually productive on the road and on grass - the Twinks come to Coors with a chance to work on thier game before going back up to the American League. Coors could be a great boost for this team, strugling in the Norris division. Still, fun to watch a small market team compete - even here, at the AAAA level.

• May 17, 2008

  12:17 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  GeeTee writes:

  So, Ubaldo is proud of his outing last night? Last time I checked, a loss is a loss. He and Hurdle keep saying that they are OK with his progress, but it is getting OLD. Hey, Ubaldo -- how about WINNING ONE!!

  Out w/ Taveras. Out w/ Baker -- he is AAA at best. Spilborghs and Podsednick platoon in CF.

  I know -- let's celebrate the 2007 season some more!! Management should have paid as much attention to the TEAM as they did to the week-long celebration of last year's LUCK.

  Still love the Rockies -- but it is time to stop being OK with losing. C'mon Helton -- step up and be a leader!